How to prevent and treat rickets in masked palm civets? A must-read for farmers

Rickets is a nutritional and metabolic disease of young masked palm civets. It is a disease caused by vitamin D deficiency, insufficient or improperly proportioned calcium and phosphorus, resulting in incomplete calcification, softening and deformation of bone tissue, stunted growth and development of diseased civets, and the appearance of pica. This disease mostly occurs in young civets under 3 months of age and early-weaned young civets, especially when young civets are artificially fed, when the diet lacks inorganic salts, vitamin D and protein, and when young civets suffer from gastrointestinal diseases, they are prone to this disease. A similar disease occurring in adult civets is called osteomalacia. Clinical symptoms: The clinical features of congenital rickets are weak young civets, inability to stand, curved bones of the forelimbs, arched back, and even inability to suckle. Acquired rickets develops gradually: first, excitement and pica appear, with a liking for gnawing walls, wood and other filthy foreign objects. Then the young civets become dull, digestive function weakens, appetite decreases or is lost, they gradually become emaciated, growth stagnates, and the coat becomes rough and messy. Diseased civets like to lie down, or arch the waist and hollow the back, have a stiff gait, and sometimes show generalized tonic spasms, swollen joints, bulging skull, osteoporosis, difficulty breathing, etc. The resistance of diseased civets is reduced, and they are prone to complications or general weakness, anemia, and even death. (Diagnosis: Based on age, management level, clinical symptoms, chronic course, growth retardation, pica, difficulty moving and the characteristics of skeletal changes, diagnosis is not difficult. Serum calcium and phosphorus levels also have diagnostic significance.

Prevention and treatment: Treatment mainly involves supplementing vitamin D and calcium and phosphorus. The following methods can be used to prevent and treat rickets: 1. Intravenous injection of 10% calcium gluconate solution 0.5—1 ml/kg body weight, twice a day, for 5—7 consecutive days. 2. Intramuscular injection of vitamin colloidal calcium solution 0.05—0.1 mg/kg body weight, once a day, for 5—7 consecutive days. 3. Oral administration of calcium carbonate 0.5—1 g/time, once a day. 4. Oral administration of vitamin D, 400—600 units/time, once a day, for 7—10 consecutive days. 5. Subcutaneous or intramuscular injection of cod liver oil (containing vitamin D 800—1000 units). To prevent rickets, the main measure is to feed feed rich in vitamin D, phosphorus and calcium. Each young civet should have 100 units of vitamin D in its daily diet. Bone meal is commonly used to supplement calcium and phosphorus. The calcium content in the diet must not be less than 0.5%, and the calcium-to-phosphorus ratio should preferably be 1—2:1.